Chicken House

[Threddy]

I've been looking around for publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts and I finally found one in Chicken House.
Then I found out that they only accept people over 18.
Any ideas why this is?
Ed - Threddy

 

[John Jarrold]

Every publisher has their own idea, and their own way of working - I'd suggest you ask them why!

 

[Pyan]

Seems a bit unfair not to say that on their submissions guideline page....

Contact The Chicken House - Frome +44 (0)1373 454488

No mention of a minimum age there.

 

[Barney]

I've been looking around for publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts and I finally found one in Chicken House.
Then I found out that they only accept people over 18.
Any ideas why this is?
Ed - Threddy

It must be a quality control filter. If they forbid manuscripts from people under the age of 18, it follows that they think young writers aren't very good.

But 18 seems a bit arbitrary. Would the same writer at 19 suddenly have developed their talents sufficiently to be publishable? Or maybe its a legal thing to do with employees attaining their majority before they sign a contract?

 

[John Jarrold]

No, you can just deal legally with their parents at this age. I took on a 17-year-old author once, when I worked in publishing. But I agree with the previous post that it is unfair not to say this on the submission requirements...

 

[Threddy]

I emailed them and asked but they haven't replied yet, I imagine I'll get the reply tomorrow. i'll let you know what they say.

 

[Threddy]

To Ed,
We have been considering this and are currently in preparation to update our website.
Publishing under 18's is a very complicated progress, there are all sorts of complications to do with rights etc, we feel that it is best left to publishers that specialise in children's literature.

 

[John Jarrold]

To each their own...

 

[Rhi]

Hmmmm...

Well, I'm 16 and will, I don't doubt, be attempting to publish before I reach 18. My novel, however, is not what anyone could possibly call children's literature.

I imagine the same applies in a large number of cases.

If they refuse to accept you on grounds of your age, they're not worth your time.

 

[John Jarrold]

Having published fantasy novels by a teenager on a mainstream imprint, I certainly woudn't agree with them - but of course, every publisher will have their own ideas. It's a subjective business, publishing...

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I would imagine that as a children's imprint they are flooded with manuscripts written by earnest twelve-year-olds. Since they do encourage unpublished/unagented writers to submit, perhaps they think it will make their workload more manageable to impose an age limit. And of course any such limit is going to leave someone on the wrong side feeling they've have been arbitrarily excluded.

If they refuse to accept you on grounds of your age, they're not worth your time.

Chicken House has done remarkably well for a new publishing house. They've established an international reputation (and distribution) very quickly, and their books have already won a number of awards. So I think, Rhi, it may be a bit arbitrary to dismiss them as not being worth somebody's time on the grounds of the age limit.

Not that I'm saying someone should submit now if they'll just be rejected because of their age; I simply mean that it may not be a good idea to form an early prejudice against a house that may be a very, very good choice for that same writer at the age of 18.

 

[Rhi]

You do have a point.

But I think my novel will be worth just as much when I'm 17 years and 364 days old as it will be the next day.

I don't find it altogether fair that under-18s are rejected or have their work labelled as children's literature.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

But waiting that extra day (or week, or month, or even year) won't hurt you. In fact, everything in publishing moves so slowly, it's really good to cultivate a habit of patience early on. Good for your blood pressure, good for your nerves. (Speaking as someone who has known the reverse side of this too, too well.)

I don't find it altogether fair that under-18s are rejected or have their work labelled as children's literature.

I think the only reference to children's literature here has been the fact that this is what the Chicken House publishes.

And there is a difference between being rejected (which is a permanent "no thanks") and being told that they won't look at submissions from writers under 18. In that case, your work hasn't been rejected and you're free to submit it later.

Traditional publishing houses (the kind that pay advances and standard royalties) that will look at unsolicited manuscripts are increasingly rare. For them to place an age limit is no more unfair than other publishers who insist on agented submissions only.

 

[Edward_Zisk]

I got a rejection from Chicken House a little while ago but it had a nice little comment written on it. Sort of. It said: Lots of great ideas but you need creative writing lessons.

(!)

That last bit might sound a tad bitchy but it's actually true. She was quite encouraging actually. I did need those lessons! Since then I've attended some classes and wisened up about structure. My book has totally changed from the title to the character names to parts of the story that didn't gel together. The ideas are the same though. It's slowly coming together and feels much...sleeker. I think I'll resubmit it to them.

Do all rejection letters get personal stuff written on them?

 

[dustinzgirl]

Do all rejection letters get personal stuff written on them?

No. They do not. Most just say "Sorry, not interested at this time"

If you got a personal notation, it likely means that you were good enough to get through the SLUSH pile, but not good enough to get to the PUBLISH pile.

You'll get there tho, if you can already get past slush with little practice and no training.

 

[ctg]

LOL, for a moment I thought that John had come back but then I look at the dates and realised what a fool I've been.

Edward, anything personal that editors are saying you should be taken as an encouragement. You stand out from the grey mass that dwells around us.

 

[Edward_Zisk]

Thank you, both of you. That's a bit encouraging. I'll resubmit it at some point and it's pretty different to what it was. As I mentioned earlier, it's become more sleeker and some of the excesses cut out. I'm not too convinced that I'm that good. But I swotted up on all the Young Adult fiction I could and took notes so with luck I can sell it somewhere if Chicken House reject it a second time!


I didn't realise personalised rejections weren't the norm. 'Great ideas' isn't something to be sniffed at on my first try I suppose.